(a) After the Baseline Tobacco Study has been completed and before soliciting applications for Local Public Health Tobacco Grants, the Department, in consultation with the local health departments, shall:
(1) Establish short–term and long–term tobacco use prevention and cessation goals for each county;
(2) Establish other requirements for each county that the Department determines to be necessary to meet the goals established under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(3) Provide for the distribution of Local Public Health Tobacco Grants to eligible counties based on the formula established under subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Subject to subsections (c) through (e) of this section and §§ 13–1008 through 13–1012 of this subtitle, the Department shall distribute a Local Public Health Tobacco Grant to each county that is equal to the sum of:
(1) A base amount of funding as determined by the Department for each county and Baltimore City;
(2) The product of:
(i) One–half of the amount remaining from the allocation to the Local Public Health Component in the State budget after the base amount under item (1) of this subsection is distributed to each county and Baltimore City; and
(ii) The number of individuals in the county attending middle school or high school who smoke or otherwise use tobacco products divided by the number of individuals in the State attending middle school or high school who smoke or otherwise use tobacco products; and
(3) The product of:
(i) One–half of the amount remaining from the allocation to the Local Public Health Component in the State budget after the base amount under item (1) of this subsection is distributed to each county and Baltimore City; and
(ii) The number of individuals in the county who smoke or otherwise use tobacco products divided by the number of individuals in the State who smoke or otherwise use tobacco products.
(c) Beginning in fiscal year 2005, the calculations of the numbers of individuals smoking or using tobacco products required in subsection (b)(2)(ii) and (3)(ii) of this section shall be based on the most recent data averaged over a multiyear period as determined by the Department.
(d) The allocation formula calculated in accordance with subsection (b) of this section for fiscal year 2005 shall remain in effect for the following 3 years and thereafter shall be recalculated every 4th year in accordance with the provisions of this section.